PR tip: What's the best time and day to send a press release?
This is a question that comes up time and again to which there is a plethora of possible answers. From media distribution platforms and marketing media, to media monitoring providers and the public relations industry itself, the responses you will see are both varied and conflicting.
Some will argue that the optimum time to send out a press release is before 9am on a Monday morning. Others suggest it is sacriledge to even consider doing so on a Thursday or Friday. Whilst there is some truth in these arguments, it is thinly veiled.
The primary reason why early doors at the beginning of the week is favoured by so many journalists is simply because they have deadlines to meet for the mid-week editions.
As for later on in the week, when do you think those journalists working on the weekend editions of the national newspapers will be putting their copy to bed? Yup, Thursdays and Fridays.
I’ve been doing PR for two decades and I can tell you that the only thing that matters is this: the strength of your story.
Ask yourself:
“Will anyone outside the four walls of my business really care about what you want to share and, if so, then why?”
You may think it’s a good story because it means something to you, but if you walked into a pub where all your target customers are sitting and shared your story with all of them, would they stop what they are doing to listen, or simply carry on as they were?
A study by Muck Rack shows that more than half of journalists don’t care when they are sent a press release. For those that do prefer earlier in the week, be mindful of the publication dates of the media you are targeting and get your story to them at 48 hours in advance.
Remember, 55% of journalists get at least a quarter of the stories they publish from press release pitches they are sent (Meltwater). Just try to keep them short! Journalists will favour press releases fewer than 400 words in length, so brevity is key.
The press release is not dead. It never will be. It’s power in placing your business in front of your target customers or investors remains are strong now as it has ever been.
